Press Release: Commission asks Ireland to speed up protection of Irish nature sites

The European Commission has requested that Ireland implements two judgments of the European Court of Justice concerning the protection of Ireland's natural habitats. Ireland has not yet fully met a 1995 deadline to complete a list of nature sites to protect its most endangered natural habitats and species, as part of the EU-wide Natura 2000 network. Nor has Ireland taken sufficient measures to recover vegetation in Irish uplands that were extensively damaged by overstocking of sheep from the 1980s onwards. A failure to satisfy the Court judgments will expose Ireland to the risk of substantial fines. Meanwhile, the Commission has been able to close a case against Ireland concerning the protection of shellfish waters from water pollution after Ireland has put in place the necessary safeguards.